Schock announces agricultural, environmental initiatives

Karen McDonald

Friday

Jan 25, 2008 at 12:01 AMJan 25, 2008 at 4:47 PM

Congressional candidate Aaron Schock announces his initiatives on agriculture issues Thursday, including increasing the ethanol blend from 10 percent to eventually 20 percent to release reliance on foreign oil and drive down gas costs. Also wants Congressional appropriations to fund the recent authorization of river improvement and locks and dams. Illinois Petroleum Institute says the idea isn't feasible because auto makers won't agree and there's not enough ethanol. Also thoughts from other candidates.

To lessen the U.S. dependence on foreign oil, increase the price farmers get for their crops and reduce the price of gasoline, 18th Congressional District candidate Aaron Schock said he wants to introduce legislation increasing ethanol blends to propel demand.

State Rep. Schock, R-Peoria, said at a news conference Thursday that he would like to see the current 10 percent ethanol blend in gasoline increased to 15 percent and, eventually, 20 percent.

"Throughout the 20-county (18th Congressional) District, farmers have had relatively good years with high prices and high yields, but a number of them are concerned about what the future may hold with any type of dip in yields and prices," Schock said. "There are things we can do as a government and policy makers to keep prices strong, the markets strong for agriculture and lessen our dependency on Mideast oil."

Schock said farmers are looking for a safety net for when prices and yields fall and less of a subsidy when high prices and high yields exist in the same year. He said while E85 gasoline uses 85 percent ethanol, it requires specially-built engines and service stations that sell the product.

David Sykuta, executive director of the Illinois Petroleum Council, said there’s not enough ethanol now to meet the current 10 percent blend, and auto manufacturers would have to agree to a larger mixture.

"I’m not saying we’re against what he wants to do, but it’s a heck of lot more complicated than what (Schock) is making it sound like," Sykuta said, adding the state’s already massive ethanol subsidy would get larger as blend percentages increase. "Every once in a while these guys have to get off the promotional end of it and the realization end of it."

The legislation would require a transition, Schock said. It would be a catalyst for construction of more ethanol plants and negotiations with the auto industry.

Matt Bisbee, campaign manager for 18th District Republican candidate Jim McConoughey, agreed the U.S. must continue to move toward renewable energy sources to diminish dependence on foreign oil. "But it is not realistic to advocate for pie-in-the-sky mandates to take effect so suddenly as our opponent would suggest," he said.

The third GOP candidate, John Morris, said he is "committed to using our natural resources to secure both our energy independence as well as the independence our food supply." He supports creating a tax code that creates incentives for investment in ethanol, bio-fuel, commercial batteries and fuel cells, wind energy, and clean coal technology.

Schock also wants to increase the speed of getting grains to market and costs associated with transportation and delivery to allow farmers to better compete with foreign producers who have lower transportation costs. If elected, he said he would work in a bipartisan way to ensure funding is appropriated to implement the Water Resource Development Act, which authorized river improvement and rebuilding of the locks and dams on rivers to facilitate economical river transportation of agricultural commodities.

Karen McDonald can be reached at (309) 686-3285 or kmcdonald@pjstar.com.

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